Sony's future and possible studio/publisher acquisitions

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Eternal_Wings

Eternal_Wings

Dein Nomos
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Third party relations could be fine or even great at lower levels... the operational level, where a PlayStation third party relations expert calls / emails them and has good banter and organizes the games for marketing and PSPlus etc.

However that doesn't mean that executives / CEO's etc don't have a role to play in building the relationships, making the third parties feel like they are valued and a part of the plans and vision of the business. That's where I think Phil is way ahead of Jim, how many times have we seen jim visit Sega or Square or Capcom or do anything to build on the existing relations?

I don't remember much but I'd be happy to be proven wrong.
To be fair Phil Spencer is only visiting Japanese pubs on begging them to sell to Micro$oft or port some old games.
 

Danja

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Third party relations could be fine or even great at lower levels... the operational level, where a PlayStation third party relations expert calls / emails them and has good banter and organizes the games for marketing and PSPlus etc.

However that doesn't mean that executives / CEO's etc don't have a role to play in building the relationships, making the third parties feel like they are valued and a part of the plans and vision of the business. That's where I think Phil is way ahead of Jim, how many times have we seen jim visit Sega or Square or Capcom or do anything to build on the existing relations?

I don't remember much but I'd be happy to be proven wrong.
You absolutely right! I don't recall Jim doing that outside of Kojima and I'd assume Sqaure since they publicly thanked him right before FF 16 came out.

Even so it is Hermen's responsibility to do these things. Shu use to be the one go around to studios and he'd do Photo-Op and tweet out thanks yous to the studios after leaving.

Again Hermen'l goes to Kojima. I wish they'd tell that man to fuck off and let him die a slow death at Microsoft HQ.

Ever since Adam Boyes left everything fell apart with indies and 3rd party. Something has to be fundamentally broken behind the scenes for Pubs to want to throw the market leader under the bus considering they can't survive without Playstation.

Playstation fans are so quick make to claim everyone is betraying the brand, but refuses to hold leadership accountable for the breakdown behind the scenes.
 

Danja

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To be fair Phil Spencer is only visiting Japanese pubs on begging them to sell to Micro$oft or port some old games.
And he's still doing more than Playstation execs. They've taken away Sega from us... Next it will be square then Capcom.

Y'all will still be here in a little bubble
 
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Bryank75

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You absolutely right! I don't recall Jim doing that outside of Kojima and I'd assume Sqaure since they publicly thanked him right before FF 16 came out.

Even so it is Hermen's responsibility to do these things. Shu use to be the one go around to studios and he'd do Photo-Op and tweet out thanks yous to the studios after leaving.

Again Hermen'l goes to Kojima. I wish they'd tell that man to fuck off and let him die a slow death at Microsoft HQ.

Ever since Adam Boyes left everything fell apart with indies and 3rd party. Something has to be fundamentally broken behind the scenes for Pubs to want to throw the market leader under the bus considering they can't survive without Playstation.

Playstation fans are so quick make to claim everyone is betraying the brand, but refuses to hold leadership accountable for the breakdown behind the scenes.

I wouldn't be too hard on Kojima, he's probably just making some shitty mobile game... (I heard it's primarily a mobile game)

It might be scary / interesting and have that Kojima-ness about it but mobile games are not what I want from him.

While he is still making DS2, which I'm incredibly hyped about.

So, telling him off...wouldn't benefit PS players either. Even though I understand why you feel that way.
 

Bryank75

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Relax, these are small disagreements in the grand scheme of things.

It's important to discuss in a constructive way. ❤️
 
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On Demand

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Phil Spencer has no choice to make round trips to Japan. That’s the only way Xbox will get any Japanese support. Sony is in no such position. They get all kinds of Japanese games by default.

That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t build even stronger relationships of course. But MS is only doing what they’re doing because their desperate for games and are trying to take away PlayStation iconic brand associated games.
 

Gods&Monsters

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Something has to be fundamentally broken behind the scenes for Pubs to want to throw the market leader under the bus considering they can't survive without Playstation.
That's what I don't get. The industry and the media wants Microsoft to be in Sony's place so bad. They are ready to lose billions to make it happen.

The only obstacle is the customers. If they could force customers to move to Xbox they would do it asap.
 

Bryank75

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That's what I don't get. The industry and the media wants Microsoft to be in Sony's place so bad. They are ready to lose billions to make it happen.

The only obstacle is the customers. If they could force customers to move to Xbox they would do it asap.

and yet Xbox down 35% and PlayStation up 175%.... it's so hilarious.

But there are some issues behind the scenes, I do wonder if PlayStation execs see it? Are they looking into it?

Also, does it come off as "too little, too late" if PlayStation approach publishers to bridge these gaps now? Whatever the issues are.
 

AshHunter216

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and yet Xbox down 35% and PlayStation up 175%.... it's so hilarious.

But there are some issues behind the scenes, I do wonder if PlayStation execs see it? Are they looking into it?

Also, does it come off as "too little, too late" if PlayStation approach publishers to bridge these gaps now? Whatever the issues are.
If Sony could bounce back after the bridges burned with the PS3, whatever "might" be happening right now with the PS5 is barely an issue by comparison. Honestly, I think much of the anxiety in this community comes from Sony's unwillingness to communicate what they have coming from both a first- and third-party perspective. I think a proper high-quality showcase with 1st and 3rd party exclusives would be all it takes for most (not all) of the people in the community to calm down, lol. People did the same fear mongering at the beginning of the PS4's life as well, called it the "indiestation" because the major exclusive games hadn't shown up yet.
 

reziel

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If Sony could bounce back after the bridges burned with the PS3, whatever "might" be happening right now with the PS5 is barely an issue by comparison. Honestly, I think much of the anxiety in this community comes from Sony's unwillingness to communicate what they have coming from both a first- and third-party perspective. I think a proper high-quality showcase with 1st and 3rd party exclusives would be all it takes for most (not all) of the people in the community to calm down, lol. People did the same fear mongering at the beginning of the PS4's life as well, called it the "indiestation" because the major exclusive games hadn't shown up yet.
That's the thing they shouldn't have to communicate anything about what they're doing. This is the nonsense Phil started by appearing practically every week in gaming articles and look at their brand because of it. PlayStation doesn't talk, which leaves very little for people to be disappointed about when they do have their letdowns. Back on topic though Playstation is definitely not going to buy anyone who doesn't have a consistent partnership with them or isn't taking advantage of their tech. Square is definitely up their with how both of their companies have grown working with each other plus the fact that Square is more then willing to start diving into the haptics feedback is another indication of that. Take 2 is never going to happen they've never had any previous collaborations on anything so why even bother to buy them?
 
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That's the thing they shouldn't have to communicate anything about what they're doing. This is the nonsense Phil started by appearing practically every week in gaming articles and look at their brand because of it. PlayStation doesn't talk, which leaves very little for people to be disappointed about when they do have their letdowns. Back on topic though Playstation is definitely not going to buy anyone who doesn't have a consistent partnership with them or isn't taking advantage of their tech. Square is definitely up their with how both of their companies have grown working with each other the fact that Square is more then willing to start diving into tge haptics feedback is another indication of that. Take 2 is never going to happen they've never had any previous collaborations on anything so why even bother to buy them?

They did the GTA5 PS4 bundles, and had marketing rights/partnership with GTA5 port to PS5 and tie-in money bonuses for GTA Online for PS players.

So, yeah, Sony and Take Two have had partnerships over the span of at least a few years. A Take-Two acquisition could easily be in the running for Sony, but realistically I think they'd look for smaller, and non-Western publishers, for the sake of variety and also netting studios that can scale well among AAA and AA software development.

Which, traditionally, Japanese devs & pubs have been better at vs. Western counterparts. However, I would definitely expect Sony to enter some type of strategic partnership with Take Two for GTA6, and not just stopping with marketing rights (which, considering hefty majority of GTA6 sales will be on PS5, would make sense to give marketing rights to).
 
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Johnic

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He’s not delusional, MS is actively trying to build a relationship with Japanese publishers and that effort is not in vain at all when we saw how SEGA now is hand in hand with MS, every single franchise that was once very PSish like Persona and Yakuza are now part of the MS marketing and showcase.
And some run worse on PS because MS blocks parity.
 
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Eternal_Wings

Eternal_Wings

Dein Nomos
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He’s not delusional, MS is actively trying to build a relationship with Japanese publishers and that effort is not in vain at all when we saw how SEGA now is hand in hand with MS, every single franchise that was once very PSish like Persona and Yakuza are now part of the MS marketing and showcase.
Wow decades old Games. Yes the P3 remake too. I bet Persona 6 will be exclusive (timed at least) to PS5 or PS6, and all the doom mongers will forget about the “broken Sega relationship”.
 

Danja

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Wow decades old Games. Yes the P3 remake too. I bet Persona 6 will be exclusive (timed at least) to PS5 or PS6, and all the doom mongers will forget about the “broken Sega relationship”.
If Persona 6 is timed it's because Shu secured it before stepping down and not because of current leadership lol.

Sega literally blocked Yakuza from PS5 in favor of Xbox. So much the game itself underperformed everywhere. But keep talking about just "old games". They are still getting first preference and we now know Phil is trying to grease up the new Sqaure CEO.
 
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Eternal_Wings

Eternal_Wings

Dein Nomos
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If Persona 6 is timed it's because Shu secured it before stepping down and not because of current leadership lol.

Sega literally blocked Yakuza from PS5 in favor of Xbox. So much the game itself underperformed everywhere. But keep talking about just "old games". They are still getting first preference and we now know Phil is trying to grease up the new Sqaure CEO.
Grasp the new Square Enix CEO. Sure sure.
“Whenever possible” doesn’t sound really like Square Enix would has much choice where their big games will release. Reminder: OT II is not coming to Xbox Gamepass, FF14 is also not on Microsoft’s sub service.
Nah it’s only the usual doom & gloom preachers here.
 
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Danja

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Grasp the new Square Enix CEO. Sure sure.
“Whenever possible” doesn’t sound really like Square Enix would has much choice where their big games will release. Reminder: OT II is not coming to Xbox Gamepass, FF14 is also not on Microsoft’s sub service.
Nah it’s only the usual doom & gloom preachers here.
Who is doom and glooming? It's called a discussion. Years ago you'd probably call someone delusional for saying Atlus / Sega games would be debuted on Xbox show or that Yakuza would be getting first preference on Xbox..

Money talks in this industry.